Garden fence, should I? ?

Lucca

Grandad the OP was very mild. What an over reaction! Alsowhy do you always feel the need to tell us you’re off to the office ? Why is that relevant ?

Just looked in while working. I always state I am off to the office as when I did not I had a forum member ask me a question of a post I made early one morning. That forum member then by mid afternoon that day made a post stating I was "dodging answering the question".

So, these days I always state I am signing off and that is the way it will stay.

SO, dammed if I do, dammed if I do not, or could it demonstrate a high level of misandry among some forum members. ?

Anyway back to work once again, so byeeeee. ???

Alsowhy do you always feel the need to tell us you’re off to the office ?

So we won't be worrying about him if he doesn't post for a few hours.
You know how women always worry, Lucca
?

May7

I was under the impression that the left hand side fences were your responsibility? Works well here. Good fences make for good neighbours I think.

No, the Ts go the other way on the plans!
Strange but true.

Grandad the OP was very mild. What an over reaction! Alsowhy do you always feel the need to tell us you’re off to the office ? Why is that relevant ?

We have put up approx 25 metres of fencing so far and are about to put up another 60 or so as our neighbours house is on the market and he assumed that the hedge line is his boundary.
Not so, the original boundary wire fence is still in place, so that this doesn’t disappear we have photographed it and pulled it out of the undergrowth, he will lose about a foot of what he thought was his land.
But best to reestablish the line before buyers and Solicitors get involved and we can’t prove anything because the fence has mysteriously vanished.

Good Evening; We have something called the "Fence Act"which covers this situation.
I think Grandad's comments are supported by this; nowhere does it propose referring the situation to an "Open Forum Chat Show"

Fence Act Victoria.
"If you are a property owner, you and your neighbour have equal responsibility for the dividing fence between your properties.

If the fence needs to be repaired or replaced there are rules about:

who pays
the type of fence to be built
the notices that you need to give one another
how to resolve disputes.
Discuss the work that needs to be done with your neighbour first. If you can make decisions together and agree to share any expenses, get this agreement in writing.

Legally you are required to contribute to a fence that is sufficient for the purpose it is needed. If your neighbour wants a more expensive fence, they will usually have to pay the difference in cost between a sufficient dividing fence and the higher standard."

QED; Good Health.
OoRoo

Out of interest, what is the fence like that your neighbours are responsible for? If it is well maintained then I would imagine having a shabby looking fence on the other side of the garden irritates them. I’m only saying this because the same thing happened to us and after many years of never a harsh word being spoken between us it turned out they’d been upset about the fence for years and it almost came to blows. Might be an idea to slip something into conversation about how worried you are that the fence needs replacing but that you haven’t got the funds to do it but that you will as and when you can afford it. They might then be quite pleased to reply that they’d be happy to chip in to get it done quicker, not having wanted to raise the issue themselves.

I was under the impression that the left hand side fences were your responsibility? Works well here. Good fences make for good neighbours I think.

The way I see it, is ask yourself honestly if your neighbour asked you to pay for half their fence would you happily contribute, because I wouldn't.

We would because I am surprised that we don't seem to be responsible for any of the fences on our boundaries so it only seems fair to either share the cost or help maintain them. It's to our benefit too.

I wonder if my neighbour would? Southern Railways!!!

When I ought my house 20 odd years ago the fence between me and my elderly neighbour had several panels missing and other replaced with old garage doors. The neighbour wasn't bothered, it was her fence and so before moving in I got a fencer to erect a new fence for half the length of the garden that being all he could access. That cost me £700 20+ years ago. She had the cheek to complain it was very unneighbourly to erect a fence she couldn't see through, oh well. Once I had demolished the very odd garden shed also made of old garage doors and removed the brambles taking over the end of the garden I got the fencer back to complete that side of the fence, another £700 so £1400 in total for a fence that wasn't even my responsibility but I had a dog I needed to contain for my own peace of mind. Once I was moved in I then had the other side fenced so that I had a matching attractive fence. Having concrete posts it's easy enough to replace panels when they start to fall apart. Over the past few years my son and I have refence the entire garden, I think it's worth the cost for the peace of mind. The elderly neighbour died a few years ago and developers took over the site which now has 4 properties on it and the neighbour the other side has just sold so will be going soon. Whatever happens in the future my garden is safely enclosed and if their fences collapse they have no call on me, they'll have to take responsibility for their own property.
The way I see it, is ask yourself honestly if your neighbour asked you to pay for half their fence would you happily contribute, because I wouldn't.

If the posts are sitting in metal bases but have rotted at the bottom, it's not always easy to get them out - we've just done this.
But it can be done and is worth it if the posts are otherwise sound but just have rotten bottoms.

If MrP is good at DIY, would it be doable to take out the existing fence panels and posts and 're erect them, using some post crete around each post, before putting the pabels back in situ? Any damaged panels could be replaced, which wouldn't cost as much as a whole new fence.

Grandad, I don't know how you extrapolated that OP was disrespectful; like most other people here, I read it as being a little humorous. No need for such waspishness surely?

Grandad you're rather grumpy this morning.

He does have a point though.

I would chat to them and see what can be salvaged.

It would be a good idea to make it safer now before any possible winter gales.

If its leaning their way. Use some posts your side to support it. I assume we are mostly older on here. Age UK in Portsmouth does gardening etc for all, any age, they could reinforce it until the time a new fence is erected. Last I heard they charge about 25 pds an hour. At least they may solve the problem

merlotgran

If the wood is in good condition but just not level and leaning over it can be salvaged and re-positioned.

That too.

It may just need better fencing posts, or even just metal supports for each post. Perhaps just the bottom of the post has rotted if they are in the ground without a metal support?

You may find that the fencing panels could be salvaged and repainted with a preservative.

Grandad you're rather grumpy this morning.
Not like you!

trustgone4sure

Connifers are cheap and grow fast.
That would be my option and it helps the planet too.

No! Anti-social things and kills other plants around the area.
They should be banned from gardens.

We're not responsible for fences either side but we always either go halves or Mr Lefthand neighbour buys the panels and DH puts up the fence as he's good at DIY. It's not very long, though.

We all maintain them.

An attractive, level and solid fence is good for both sets of neighbours, no matter who the responsibility lies with.
If I thought my neighbour would leave leaning fences forever then I would offer to go halves with them, rather than put up with the look of it.That could be repairing them or buying new ones.It’s only a legal requirement to ‘mark’ your boundaries, you could put a bit of wire across only if you wanted to, you don’t have to put up fences.

trustgone4sure

Connifers are cheap and grow fast.
That would be my option and it helps the planet too.

The most anti-social thing anybody can do to a neighbour is plant fast growing conifers as a hedge!

They don't help the planet as they will deplete the soil of nutrients and moisture.

grandad1943 I did not read the OP as being disrespectful..maybe just honest that the neighbour kindly offered to help..but actually mending fences was maybe not his particular skill set.
I realise you won't have time to read this as you are off to do busy and important things in an office. Many of us are busy doing our own busy & important things too..we just don't feel the need to say!

Oh do not plant conifers! Grim & ongoing maintenance is costly. Also they have hungry roots so little else will grow nearby for years! a living hedge of flowering or friuting plants would be much better.

Furret

I agree grandad to the extent that too many people do seem to enjoy a good old ‘slag off’ but the OP did try to inject a touch of understanding/humour that not all men are DIY experts with her little aside about spirit levels, so she cannot be held to blame for the unkindness of others.

The OP should have demonstrated thanks and respect for her neighbour's previous repairs to the fence whether she felt they were good or bad workmanship, for he had freely made that effort when the fence was not in any way his responsibility.

In the OPs situation, the best policy would have been to not have begun a thread on this matter but to have quietly and diplomatically discussed the issue with their neighbour.

Anyway, Furret, as much as I would wish to go on discussing this thread with you and other forum members I am now off to the office where many other subjects need to be discussed and acted upon.

Connifers are cheap and grow fast.
That would be my option and it helps the planet too.